Fairbanks Appointed Associate Justice

Tlingit & Haida welcomes Cheryl Demmert Fairbanks as the newly appointed Associate Justice for Tribal Court.

As an Associate Justice, Fairbanks serves on Tlingit & Haida’s Supreme Court and hears all appeals of Trial Court or subordinate Court decisions. In appeals brought before it, the Supreme Court shall determine whether the Court’s factual findings are supported by substantial evidence and whether its conclusions are in accordance with the law.

“I am most challenged and honored to serve as a Justice for our Court,” Fairbanks said. “I truly believe that sovereignty begins at home.”  

Fairbanks is Tlingit-Tsimpshian and was born in Ketchikan, Alaska. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Fort Lewis College in 1969 and her juris doctorate in 1987 from the University of New Mexico.

Fairbanks currently works in the area of Indian law as an Attorney and Tribal Court of Appeals Justice and serves as the senior policy advisor for the University of New Mexico, Native American Budget and Policy Institute. Her legal practice and consultation services concentrate on tribal-state relations, personnel, tribal courts, peacemaking and family conferencing, mediation, family, school, education, and indigenous law.